Monday, 31 August 2009

Farmer's Market: A Fresh Idea From Ma

Through a series of phone calls and e-mails, my mom and I are hatching a master plan to man a booth at (next year's?) a downtown farmer's market in the near future. Here's the basic concept: we buy fresh and local produce at Tuesday night's market, prepare in-season, locally grown fare*, and then sell said tasty fare complete with recipe at Saturday's all-day event.

The idea would be not just to say "Hey, come buy my kick-ass beet pesto with crostini or maybe a tasty bowl of ratatouille" but to say all that plus "oh, and by the way, you can buy the makings at the following booths, all local, and here's the recipe!" Thus we are not just parlaying the five-plus years of intense co-cooking and culinary education she has been providing me into a lucrative booth, we are also encouraging people to try it for themselves with healthy, local food that's in-season.

We still need to secure a spot, get the necessary permits and equipment, prepare a menu that will change with what is available seasonally (and that is cost-effective), but I have a strong feeling that this is going to happen. Suggestions are welcome as to what we should call our booth.

* - Note: I've never been to cooking school, but I've prepared large meals (feeding between ten people and a whole house-sized dinner party) every Sunday as my Mom's chef-de-partie/sous-chef for about six years. If it weren't obscenely difficult to successfully run a restaurant, I'd try to do that with her - this is the next best thing, near as I can figure.